Germ warfare
by abelkd71
Summary: All Italy wanted to do was make Germany proud but when he pushes himself too hard and becomes sick, which not only tests their relationship as allies, it ends up causing a chain reaction among most of the G8.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is my first fanfic in this series and I hope I got the characters down right. I've read stories with this concept and rather go along with how they're sick because of actual current events like economic turmoil I chose to write about how countries get affected by germs like anyone else would. There are a lot of foreign words in here, too many to put all the translations in, so if you're curious about it just look them up. Also in case anyone finds this good and wants to read more keep watch for further chapters. It's a long story and this first part has only scratched the surface but I'm putting it on hold while I'm trying to finish up another fanfic. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

"Nein, nein, nein! How do you expect to be a soldier with this poor performance?"

"I'm sorry Germany. I'm trying the best I can."

"It's not good enough! Tell me: why do I keep bothering with your training?"

"Because you know I'd be taken over without your guidance, intense physical labor and scary yelling at me in your funny language."

"Beleidigen Sie nicht die Sprache meines Volkes, Ihnen unwissend Italienisch!"

"Sì, exactly like that. Hey, when do you think we can stop? I'm getting hungry… and tired."

"You eat und sleep far too much than anyone ever should."

"What else is there to do?"

"Become strong und learn how to fight so you can protect yourself."

"But I keep telling you: I don't need to protect myself when you're around. You won't ever let anything bad happen to me, right?"

"Ja… but I need you to protect yourself when I can't be with you because… if anything were to happen to you…"

"Aww I knew you cared about me, Germany."

"Enough talking! Give me 20 laps und be quick about it!"

"Sì, I'll make you really proud."

Italy straightened up to give him the formal gesture of a salute before continuing with his training and Germany couldn't help think he was the slightest bit cute with a smile appearing on his face as he watched him run, even more so when he made a point to wave at him every time he passed by. Eventually he became distracted staring at the other country working so hard to improve himself that he neglected to notice the once bright, blue sky had become filled with dark, grey clouds until a drop of water fell onto his forehead then slid down to his nose which forced him to look up at it. Any minute they would be drenched and the next time Italy ran by, Germany moved in front of his path to make him stop but for some reason his usual, cheerful expression wasn't present.

"Okay that's good. We should go inside now."

"I can't, only 5 more laps to go."

"But it's starting to rain. Come on Italy, your training is finished for today."

"No!"

"What?"

"I need to become stronger, not so I can keep myself safe, but I want to be able to save you if you ever get in trouble."

"Ah… while I appreciate the sentiment, you must realize that you und I are different. I refuse to let myself get in that much trouble where I have to rely on you to save me. But I admire your determination. I suppose if you go fast enough, we'll avoid the rain."

"Maybe we can run together? I know you're already über strong and I have a long way to be at your level but it can be fun."

"Training is not supposed to be… ja, let's do it together."

"Hooray!"

Knowing he was happy made all his concerns go away and he did have to admit to himself, for whatever reason his speed had increased, it was impressive but still not enough for Italy to catch up to him. A feeling of inadequacy overcame him although it couldn't compare to the disappointment he felt from letting Germany down however an idea soon came to him that would make their paces even. He mustered up enough energy to run beside him for a few moments then grabbed his hand which at first made the other country very uncomfortable although he allowed the contact in addition to slowing down so finally they were next to each other if only to prevent him from being too self-loathing that he would be more of a nuisance than he usually was.

The 2 of them were so caught up in their training they didn't notice the rain had already started pouring down heavily and whether it was because of being in his own world or the unstable terrain made that way as a result of the water being soaked into it, he couldn't get a good grip on the ground just a few steps from where his laps started in addition to being the last one too. As a result, he lost his balance and since they were connected Germany started to fall along with Italy but in a moment of pure instinct, he reached out his arms to grab hold of the weaker country and press him against his body so that when they hit the ground it was his back which took the impact. For a few moments they stayed that way, stunned by what just happened but the feeling of his warm breath against the cold, damp skin on his neck was becoming too alluring and he needed to push the source of it just slightly away so he could look him in the eye to assess his condition.

"Are… are you okay?"

"Sì… I'm really sorry."

"It's alright. Now get off of me," he demanded with the immediate results of the other country moving away but he couldn't be too mad since he kindly offered a hand out to help him up and rather than convey the expected response of gratitude instead he took the opportunity to express his discontent, "See, I told you this would happen. We need to get inside quickly."

"But why? I love the rain. It's so pretty and the wet drops on my skin feel really-"

"Italy!"

"Okay, okay but… there's something I need to tell you."

"What is it?"

"I don't think I can move. My legs feel like overcooked pasta. Could you carry me?"

"Es gibt keine Möglichkeit in Hölle!"

"Please?"

"Fine, I suppose it would be quicker if I didn't have to put up with your slow pace. Don't expect me to carry you in front though. You can get on mein back, und try not to squirm."

"Grazie, Germany."

"Ja…" he replied, feeling frustrated that he made him concede so easily but it made sense because they would only be forced to spend more time out in the pouring rain if he was walking on his own and since it would cause him to feel too guilty to leave the pathetic country to fend by himself, there was no other choice except to take the last stand of bending down to carry him piggyback style, then after a few minutes as a result of the distance from where they were to his house being longer than anticipated, the lack of his constant talking brought about the question, "Are you sleeping?"

"How can I sleep? It's freezing."

"I thought you said you liked the rain."

"Sì, I do but… just because something's cold or unpleasant doesn't mean it can't be liked, don't you agree?"

"Ah… I guess so. Listen, I'm going to say something to you that I never said before und probably never will again: you did very well at your training today und I'm proud of you… Italy? Italy!"

Germany realized from his unresponsiveness that now Italy actually was asleep, which he rationalized was for the best since his sentimental message could be spared for perhaps another occasion that was more appropriate, although in what could have been an unconscious action he felt the other country's arms wrap tighter around him and decided to reciprocate the gesture by securing the grasp he had on him. It was just a few more minutes to reach his house and by the time they went inside he was awake enough to get off his back before he abruptly left to immediately go to his room to change out of those wet clothes where he wanted to stay because the thought of dealing with his annoying ally whose stubbornness forced them to be subjected to the rain was too unappealing. Still, he knew it was only an effort to make him proud with the increased efforts in his training and once he was in a dry pair of sweatpants and an undershirt, he walked all over trying to find him when finally he stepped into the kitchen to see the food-loving country standing in front of the stove. For a moment, Germany watched Italy in silence admiring how peaceful he looked doing the activity he was so skilled at however he snapped back to reality when a crucial aspect caught his attention.

"What are you doing?"

"Cooking, it's time for dinner and I'm making us something really yummy."

"You're soaking wet. Don't you want to change clothes?"

"But eating is more important. I'm too hungry to think about that. Besides, I don't feel cold because of the heat coming from the stove," he explained which made him wonder how comfortable he could be wearing damp clothing and even though there was nothing he would be able to do about that, he took the towel placed around his neck and draped it over him to absorb some of the moisture from his hair and shoulders in an unexpected gesture which he greatly appreciated, "Grazie, Germany. It was becoming annoying to have all these little drips coming down from my head."

"Is there anything I can do to help you?"

"Really… well, there's not much to be done but it would be nice to have some company while I cook. Watching pots boil can be very boring."

He smiled sheepishly at him before getting back to stirring the 2 pots he set up: 1 filled with pasta and the other what appeared to be some kind of wurst and that made him wonder what type of dinner he would be creating with only those components. They ended up talking about topics Italy rambled on about that forced Germany to only keep nodding in response until he told him to sit at the table since all that needed to be done was plating and when he brought over their dinner with a great sense of pride the unusual meal made it difficult for him not to question.

"Tada! Here you go. I hope you enjoy."

"Danke, this is… what is this?"

"Wurst and pasta, rigatoni to be precise, mixed together to make 1 combined dish. It's the things we each love to eat the most and the best part is you don't even need to have a sauce because the juices from the meat spread out and coat the noodles slightly. Doesn't that sound great?"

"I rather eat wurst with potatoes."

"You're missing the point. I rather eat pasta with meatballs but I'm trying to show you the harmony of our 2 cuisines can be applied to our own-"

"Nein, I get it. Whatever you made, I appreciate it."

"Grazie."

"Hey, you didn't happen to hear what I said to you earlier?"

"Said to me, when?"

"Never mind, it's not important."

They began to concentrate on their dinner and even though the idea of eating pasta and wurst together seemed unappetizing to him, with the 1st bite of those 2 items on his fork together he couldn't disagree that it was an unexpected and tasty combination. Germany became so immersed in consuming every last bite of his meal that he hadn't noticed Italy was the exact opposite since he appeared to be merely pushing the food around in his bowl with the occasional exception of eating a single noodle once every 5 minutes but right as he was about to ask what was wrong, he spoke up with an unanticipated announcement.

"I'm going to go to bed. Buonanotte, Germany."

"Wait, you barely touched your food. Are you feeling okay?"

"Of course, I just want to get some rest."

"Well I suppose if you're not eating, wanting to sleep proves you're acting like yourself."

"I'm looking forward to another day of training tomorrow with you."

"Ja, me too. Gute Nacht, Italy."

Even though he still felt uneasy due to believing something was wrong with him, the way he placed a hand on his shoulder as he got up from the table after he scraped off the large amount of uneaten noodles and sausage into his bowl, which he appreciated since he wanted to eat more, put those thoughts out of his mind. By the time he finished all of it then cleaned up in the kitchen, he expected to find him occupying his bed as a result of the ongoing speeches about personal space never sinking in but instead he walked into his empty room and went to sleep once he stripped down to his boxers. It didn't take long for him to fall into a peaceful slumber that he realized might have been too undisturbed as a result of noticing it was 12 o'clock in the afternoon, 6 hours passed his usual wake-up time and if that wasn't enough he also realized he still was alone in bed. However both of those unusual discrepancies were merely passing thoughts compared to the next abnormality of experiencing a scratchy sensation in the back of his throat and he realized every inhalation threatened to alleviate it with a coughing fit which would only become worse if he actually began talking. The motivation of avoiding that shameful display caused him to quickly get up then walk to the bathroom where he poured a glass of water to drink a few sips and with that under control he put on some clothes before walking to Italy's room while carrying the cup with him just in case his throat acted up again. Germany wasn't sure if he was in there considering how late it was in the day but his instincts proved correct when he went inside to discover him still in bed only something wasn't right: he was clearly awake, lying there just staring up at the ceiling until his head turned towards him once he became aware of his presence but he remained silent, content with preserving the awkwardness which forced him to speak.

"Hallo, Italy. Is everything alright?"

"Sì, why wouldn't it be?"

"It's noon und you're still in bed."

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize what time it was."

"Don't worry about it. I just woke up too."

"So then, you slept well?"

"Ah… ja, I guess I did. How about you," he casually asked, expecting the same answer in response however he didn't offer any comment as a result of not wanting to tell the truth but not say something that would earn his sympathy and before he had a chance to continue the conversation, he burst into a violent coughing fit which caught him off guard at first except he quickly reacted by helping him sit up then take sips from his glass of water until he calmed down, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, it was nothing. I'm sorry if I startled you."

"How can you say it was nothing when even now your throat still sounds sore?"

"It doesn't matter. I want to get started on our training already."

"Nein, we need to- wait… since when have you been eager to get out of bed und do hard work? This isn't like you."

"I just… really want to try hard for you."

"If you push yourself too hard, I'm only going to end up dealing with whatever happens to you."

"No, I don't want you to deal with me! Let's just go, okay?"

"Okay… I didn't mean to offend you."

"No, it's alright. I'm sorry. I kind of feel a little touchy today. Ever since I woke up 5 hours ago I… I haven't been- eh… eh… etciú!"

There were so many things going through his mind: why did he keep apologizing, was he really awake for that long without even going to his room to wake him up and for what reason would he be touchy when he usually shook off any sort of negative comment as a result of his upbeat attitude but the most significant question was what caused him to sneeze. He sniffled then rubbed his nose before looking back at him, hoping he wouldn't make a big deal out of it since he already felt embarrassed enough but either way there was only 1 response which seemed appropriate for that sudden outburst.

"Gesundheit."

"Grazie… so do you want to get ready to go outside now?"

"Are you serious?"

"Of course, weren't you listening to all the things I was saying?"

"How can you even suggest participating in physical activities when you're coughing und sneezing? Can you honestly tell me you feel like training today?"

"It doesn't matter how I feel. I need to become stronger."

"What the hell is wrong with you? Any adequate soldier knows the limits of their body und unless they're at 100% all their efforts will only turn out bad, so why can't you figure that out?"

"If you're going to yell at me, I don't want to talk to you anymore!"

The strain on his voice forced him to cough again but Italy made it clear he didn't want Germany's help this time by pulling the blankets over himself in an attempt to shut him out and even though he was irritated at his childishness while still confused by what was happening, he couldn't help feel sorry for his ally. He noticed the way his body shook which subsided after a few moments until he was pitched forward by another sneeze and he popped his head out just long enough to briefly glance at him, proving he wasn't ready to interact with him yet although he wasn't about to have their disdain continue.

"Gesundheit… I don't want to keep arguing with you."

"I don't want that either but you need to realize I can't act like myself today."

"Why?"

"Because I feel too exhausted and drained."

"What does that mean?"

"You can't figure it out?"

"Figure what out?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Not to me. Just say what's going on with you. I'm getting annoyed."

"Well I wanted to avoid admitting it out loud but it seems you're not giving me a choice. I have a cold."

"You're sick."

"Sì… I'm really upset about it. You must be thinking how pathetic and weak I am or how much of an inconvenience this is for you or-"

Italy was forced to abruptly stop talking when Germany ripped the blanket off, leaned in close then tightly grasped his shoulders all of which would have been interpreted as a gesture of anger if it weren't for the fact the only expression on his face was an intense concern. He knew at that moment nothing else mattered because he was just worried about his wellbeing and even though it seemed this whole cold situation was only the beginning of both their miseries he was happy to know he cared about him. They stayed that way for a little while without anything disturbing the silence except for the sudden increase of inhalations that caused him to back away just in time to avoid being sneezed on despite how he made sure to cover his mouth anyway. A wave of panic surged through him at the thought he might have been upset it happened at that inconvenient timing based on his expressionless stare although for some reason he smiled then ended up bursting out laughing which he joined in on just in a more subdued manner as not to irritate his throat further. When they finally calmed down and with the mood lightened, he was able to focus more on how he could overcome his illness the most efficiently starting with putting on a pair of pajamas over his undershirt and boxers then getting back in bed to sit in a slightly inclined position with pillows to prop him up but since Germany still hadn't left him alone yet, instead pulled up a chair to sit by his bedside, Italy wondered if he would be willing to help out with that.

"Maybe I just need to relax. I'm not going to get better if I'm stressed."

"Ja, that makes sense. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Get me another blanket, please? It's freezing in here."

"Nein, it's not."

"Well then, I must have a fever. You should get a thermometer too," he instructed then waited for him to return with it before he fulfilled his other request of adding an extra blanket and he liked how he was thoughtful enough to tuck him in but when he noticed the way he stared intensely at the unfamiliar instrument was unsettling, "Is there something wrong?"

"I don't quite know how to use 1 of these things…"

"That's okay, I can do it."

"Are you sure? Won't it be hard to use it on yourself?"

"No, besides it has to be done. Fevers can be very serious."

He nodded solemnly then waited for him to place the thermometer in his mouth until a minute passed so the results were visible and he removed it to take 1 glance before sighing dejectedly but remaining silent which forced him to question, "What does it say?"

"38.6 °."

"Is that bad?"

"Not particularly… but I do have a fever. We should check my temperature every few hours to see how it's progressing."

"How do we make it so your temperature gets back to normal?"

"We just have to wait until it decreases on its own. I could put a cold washcloth on my forehead to help with that process but I don't want to put up with that."

"Why wouldn't you do something to make yourself better?"

"I feel so awful right now I just need to lie here. You're asking a lot of questions. That's not normal. You usually know everything."

"No one can know everything but I don't understand-"

"You must've had an idea of what's wrong with me. A visible sign of a fever is when your skin flushes. Does my face look red to you?"

"Ja I guess so…"

"It doesn't sounds like you're sure yet. Here, I can prove it to you further," he announced before grabbing his hand to place on his forehead and there was a second where he felt the heat generated from his body until he abruptly backed away while glaring at him with a strange expression, "I'm sorry, I thought-"

"Have you really been awake for 5 hours already? You could have woken me up too."

"If you weren't coming to get me I knew you must have still been sleeping and I didn't want to disturb you. I bet you slept that well because your belly was so full of yummy food."

"Maybe, it was very delicious."

"I know. You're so lucky. When I come over your house, I can cook good things like that so I should spend the night more often. But if I did that, you would be more annoyed with me than usual."

"So then, are you hungry?"

"Not really…"

"You must be terribly sick if you don't feel like eating."

"It's like I said: I don't want to put up with anything."

"But you don't mind staying awake and talking with me?"

"Of course not. I can never be bothered by you. Now I have a question for you. Isn't there something else you could be doing?"

"What?"

"The 1st thing you did after you got up was come to see me except for putting on some clothes but you haven't even slicked back your hair yet. It's true I need to be stuck in bed all day, or what's left of it, but you don't have to. I'm sure you could be working."

He didn't reply to that, proving the answer was either he decided to disregard his work or there was none but whatever it was he became preoccupied with the topic they just finished talking about after hearing the distinctive sound of his stomach growl which made him smile then comment, "See, you are hungry. I won't tolerate you lying to me."

"I wasn't lying necessarily, it's just… I don't want to eat anything that'll upset my stomach. I don't feel particularly nauseous but with sicknesses everything's more sensitive."

"Okay, I should make you something plain then?"

"Well… I hate to insult you but what can you cook?"

"Lots of things, I'm just as good of a cook as you."

"Oh really, is it possible you can't accept the 1 thing I'm good at is something you're not?"

"Just tell me what you want to eat. I can make it if I work hard at it."

"Sì, with that attitude you probably can. Alright, I would be very happy if you cooked me a wonderful meal. You should know: when you're sick the perfect thing to eat is soup because the hot liquid is good for your throat. Is there any kind of soup you know how to prepare?"

"Well… there aren't many soups that have been traditionally made in my house but I remember hearing about a stew called Gaisburger Marsch. You cook the beef to get a broth und cut it into cubes then add potatoes und spätzle. Truthfully… I have no idea how to-"

"It's alright. I don't think that would be a good choice to have now. It sounds too heavy. You know, 1 of my favorite soups is Minestrone. It's always made with a tomato broth and even though there are many varieties it usually has lots of different vegetables, beans, and pasta."

"How does that sound less heavy than what I suggested?"

"I don't know… maybe I'm just used to something more traditional to my house than yours. I didn't mean to offend you. When I'm better, I would love to have some of that soup."

"If you really want it, you can cook it."

"Okay, I would be more than happy to do the cooking. It doesn't matter you can't do it as good as I can. There are so many things you do perfectly so it's alright if you can't do this one. To be honest, I think you shouldn't be wasting your time on such a useless activity as making food. But what's important is the 2 of us sharing a meal like last night."

"Ja, I suppose you have a good point. Except unlike last night when you hardly ate anything at all, we should-"

"Etciú!"

"Gesundheit."

"Ugh… this isn't good."

"Are you okay?"

"No- I mean sì. Well… can you just get me something, please?"

Germany became confused by Italy's vague request while at the same time wondering why he remained facing away which prompted the action of placing a hand on his shoulder to turn him around and the sight of him covering the lower half of his face, suggesting he needed to conceal the otherwise messy display, indicated exactly what he needed. After briefly glancing around the room, he found a box of tissues to give him that he promptly used to release all the congestion and once it was finished he noticed he had left him alone, giving the impression he couldn't tolerate being exposed to that repellent sound. However it was merely a brief trip to bring back some items that he haphazardly threw at him before returning to the spot next to his bed and even though he looked frustrated it wasn't something he could focus on compared to what had been offered to him. It made sense he provided food as a result of their previous discussion of him being hungry and that his cooking skills might have been non-existent although he wasn't expecting to eat an apple and half a loaf of bread. Italy watched as Germany quickly consumed his own piece of fruit and the other half of bread while he tried to eat some of it despite the solid quality making it very difficult to go down his inflamed throat which became so painful he needed to stop. He was worried about offending him by not eating what he brought although it didn't seem to be an issue since he wasn't paying attention to him anyway and they sat together in his bedroom without anything to break the silence except for his sniffling, nose blowing, sneezing and coughing. The exhaustion was beginning to take its toll on him but he felt guilty about falling asleep in addition to being uncomfortable about the awkwardness between them however he couldn't control his eyelids gradually becoming heavier and almost about to close until he suddenly got to his feet, creating the jarring noise of the chair knocking over, then glared angrily at him.

"That's it! I can't take it anymore!"

"What's wrong, Germany?"

"All you have is a cold! You don't need me to stay here by your side constantly! Besides, I don't know how to help you in any way! I have experience treating stab wounds, broken bones, head injuries, 3rd degree burns, even gunshot wounds but this is ridiculous! Who's weak enough to catch a cold anyway? I'm leaving und I don't know when I'll be coming back!"


	2. Chapter 2

Italy cringed from the shouting but even more so how he had finally lost his patience with him in what seemed like a random outburst although he realized it must have been from the annoyance he felt only being displayed at that point after building up for so long. Initially he was relieved watching him leave the room so he wouldn't have to be exposed to any more anger except once he heard the front door slam the abandonment caught up with him, increased by the fact he felt overwhelmingly vulnerable from his sickness. It wasn't he needed someone to help take care of him, instead the loneliness was too intolerable and that motivation was what caused him to get out of bed, wrapping the blanket around his body to prevent himself from shivering too much, then walk to the phone where he dialed the number of the other axis member before waiting a few seconds for him to answer.

"Moshi moshi?"

"Ciao, Japan. This is Italy. I was just wondering… how are you?"

"Good, and you?"

"The same… I guess."

"Is everything okay?"

"I don't know."

"Did something happen? Please don't tell me you got captured again. I'm not the one you usually call in that situation."

"Sì, I'm very much aware of that but no, I haven't been captured again. It's funny the way things turn out sometimes. I was only trying to be what he's always telling me I should be and maybe impress him a little but when it ended up like this, he decides he doesn't want to follow it through which is completely unfair because if it wasn't for him-"

"Do you have anything important to say? If not then I'm hanging up."

"Fine, I should probably get to the point anyway. It's becoming too uncomfortable to talk. I need you to come over here, now."

"What?"

"I'll explain more when you're in front of me because I really need to let my throat rest. I'm at Germany's house and I'll leave the door unlocked so you can just let yourself in. And please hurry. Oh and if you could bring soup, whatever kind you have but it must be light, that would be great."

"You can't be serious. Do you actually expect me to drop what I'm doing and go to you without a reasonable explanation? What's he doing? Why can't he deal with-"

"Shut up! I tried being nice about this but you're not listening! Come over here now! We're supposed to be teammates and friends! If there was something you needed from me, I would do it without asking any questions! I don't want to force you but just think about that!"

The phone call abruptly ended, leaving him immensely confused but after contemplating it for a few seconds, he decided to go along with the instructions that seemed more like demands and he walked back into the room where he had a guest waiting patiently for his return who couldn't help engage him by asking in an obnoxious tone a question that already was obvious, "Something wrong?"

"Iie, but I need you to leave now."

"Come on, do you really think you can get rid of me that easily? Just tell me what's up."

"It's none of your business."

"You know I'm only gonna keep bugging you until I hear what it is."

"Why must you be so annoying?"

"I'm not annoying, I'm persistent because I'm America and if there's something I wanna know you can bet your ass I won't stop-"

"Fine, if it's really that important for you to know: Italy wants me to come over and visit him at Germany's house even though he didn't say where he was and for some reason I need to bring soup. I wasn't expecting to travel today but something didn't sound right with him and he made it clear since we're teammates we need to do things for each other. I can only imagine what horrors await for me there."

"If it's so bad, you don't have to go. Of course, I'd guess you're just looking for any excuse to cut our time together short which doesn't make sense because I don't see how anyone could not like having me around."

"Get out of my house."

"Alright, I'm going but let me just say it's been a pleasure visiting you again and thanks for the green tea. Every time I have some it makes me wanna gag just a little bit less."

"Omae wo korosu!"

That threat was enough motivation to make America go away even though he wanted to hear more about what was going on and shortly afterwards when Japan packed the requested item he left on his trip to Germany's house. Meanwhile, after Germany left Italy feeling increasingly guilty by the second for abandoning him especially when he was sick he wandered around for a little while until he ended up at a bar he often stopped by where all the other customers immediately backed away from him based on his glare that was more off-putting than usual. He sat down at a corner table that had been unofficially reserved for him and he didn't even need to ask for what he wanted since a beer was preemptively placed in front of him which he quickly drank practically in a single gulp. Almost immediately another mug was set down and the process became repeated until there were 4 empty glasses on his table that he needed to push aside so he would have room to rest his head in his arms on the wood surface, not so much with the intentions of sleeping but instead as a way of trying to ease his mind of all the unpleasant thoughts. He wasn't sure how long he had been there although at the rate he was going eventually he would fall asleep until someone had the nerve to pull out a chair, generating a disruptive screeching sound then poke him repeatedly right between his shoulder blades he was forced to look up into a pair of red eyes, a head of silver hair and a malicious smile.

"What the hell's the matter with you?"

"Go away Prussia. I don't have the patience to deal with you now."

"Aww come on, is that any way to treat your older brother who's only concerned about you?"

"Am I expected to believe you want to be sympathetic rather than your usual irritating demeanor?"

"Just tell me what's wrong, West."

"Nothing… I'm not the type who lets things affect them. I did what I thought was best und now that can't be changed. I'm sure he's fine on his own…"

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you plan on staying here?"

"You bet! Hey waiter, 2 more beers," he shouted across the bar to have the pair of drinks arrive at their table almost immediately as the other times and he initiated the gesture of clashing their mugs together enthusiastically although the sight of Germany chugging down his beer didn't ease his concern except since he wanted to disregard it anyway, Prussia chose to display another sentiment, "This is going to be great! We're going to have so much fun!"

"Fun?"

"Ja, we never get to spend time together anymore, let alone at our favorite bar."

"It's true someone might come to a place like this to have a good time but that's not why I'm here."

"Listen, if you're not going to explain whatever your problem is stop talking about it, okay? I'm happy to see you. I don't see you as often as I used to."

"Maybe I don't like being with you because you're such a jerk."

"Stop kidding around. Everyone wishes they had the opportunity to experience my awesomeness up close und you're lucky enough to have that privilege because I want you to."

"Ja, I feel really lucky…"

"See, I knew it. So West, what have you been up to lately?"

"The usual."

"Training, training und more training?"

"It's important to keep your focus sharp und your strength at its peak."

"You never take any down time, you know? I'm sure one of these days you're going to push yourself too hard und become sick or something."

"Nein, that will never happen! I'm not weak enough to catch a cold!"

"Alright… I was just giving an example of what could happen because… I worry about you, sometimes. Of course you probably don't need me to do that with your allies around. How are those two?"

"I don't want to talk about them."

"Oh, it's something one of them did?"

"Nobody did anything."

"There's no point in denying it. I can tell when you're lying. If I had to guess, it was that stupid, pasta-loving, pathetic excuse for a-"

"What's been going on with you, Prussia?"

"I'm so glad you asked. Lately I've been going to Austria's house a lot und annoying him und Hungary. He's so stuck up und stuffy the tiniest thing makes him go crazy und she's particularly sensitive too. Maybe after we finish drinking you can come with me und we'll both-"

"Nein, I don't want to do that."

"Then we can go to my house und-"

"Not that either."

"How about your… house?"

"Absolutely not!"

"You really want to spend the whole night in a bar?"

"Ja, I'm not planning on going home until things have settled down."

"What are you going to do?"

"Just sit here und drink."

"Damn it, you're in too weird of a mood. I'm going to leave you alone to wallow in whatever misery you have. I can tell that's what you wanted in the first place."

"It's not like I asked you to talk to me."

"You didn't have to. We're brothers. Don't expect me to come back until you feel like sharing your troubles."

Germany didn't intend to push someone just as intimidating as him away although at that moment other than the desire to be alone he couldn't hold a conversation any further based on the increasingly sore sensation in his throat which never really went away from this morning. He signaled for 1 final beer, drinking it all at once again not so much for the typical affects of alcohol but instead to soothe the irritation and suppress the urge to cough before he placed his head back down for the night, leaving the bartender no choice but to close the bar without disturbing him.

By the time Japan arrived at his destination, walking in through the unlocked door, things seemed suspiciously quiet and he became concerned especially when he couldn't find Italy right away, forcing him to look all over only until he stopped after reaching the bedrooms. He tried to think of what could be happening to require his presence while at the same time create the absence of the other axis member and he noticed the bedroom designated as his had the door slightly ajar which peaked his curiosity even though he didn't feel comfortable going into the personal spaces of their bedrooms. Either way he was forced to continue on by slowly poking his head inside where he took in the sight of him sleeping in bed and against all of his better judgments he crossed the room, stared down at him for a few moments then placed a hand on his forehead in an automatic action he couldn't help go through with. The sudden contact caused him to jolt awake which would have startled him if he wasn't already alarmed by the strong heat sensed and with all the other unusual things observed, especially the way he just smiled at him wordlessly as he slowly sat up, it was crucial to get answers immediately.

"What's going on?"

"Oh Japan, you're here. I'm so glad. Was it that quick?"

"You wanted me here and I left right after we stopped talking but I don't understand-"

"That's alright because I'm going to explain it to you now. So a lot of stuff has already happened to lead up to it but the problem is- eh…"

"Is what?"

"I- eh… I have a- eh… eh…"

"A what? Just say it already!"

"I'm trying to but- eh… it's difficult when- eh… I have to- eh… etciú! Sorry, I was trying to keep that from happening which seems pointless since I have been doing it all day and probably will continue. So here's what's going on: I'm sick with a cold and just need to rest but I want you around because-"

"Please excuse me."

"No, don't leave me too!"

"I'll only be a minute," he assured while quickly rushing out of the room which left him confused but not upset anymore that he would be abandoned by someone else and he returned to walk in on him blowing his nose in an action that would have made him want to run away again if it weren't for the fact he already took precautions against the microscopic organisms, "There see, I'm back and ready to help you with anything you need in an effective and hygienic manner."

"What's that on your face?"

"It's a mask, used to prevent the spread of germs. I keep a few items around here in case of emergencies but if I couldn't find it I would have replicated the same concept by covering my mouth and nose with something else. Many people wear it in my house when they're sick or have allergies in order to preserve the health of everyone else but I don't mind being the one to have it on because I want to strongly make sure I don't catch a cold either."

"If I had told you I was sick on the phone, would you have come?"

"That's not important… I'm here now and you were right. We're on the same side and there are certain obligations team members have to each other. Also I can understand how you would want someone with you when you're not feeling well."

"Sì, that's very true."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Only if it isn't about Germany."

"I'm just wondering why you're in his house when he's not even here. Does he know what happened to you or do you know where he went? Maybe we can try to-"

"Did you bring soup like I asked?"

"Hai, would you like some now?"

"Please, and make sure it's hot."

He quickly nodded before leaving to prepare his meal and even though the task only took a few minutes, by the time he returned he noticed him in the same sitting-up position on his bed where he had been with the exception of being asleep although he woke up after feeling his hand pressed against his forehead again but the disoriented demeanor he displayed made him concerned, "Italy?"

"I'm awake and ready to have your soup."

"Are you sure? Perhaps you should rest since you're falling asleep."

"But my throat's killing me. I need to have something hot and soothing. Besides, I feel too depressed to sleep."

"Do you want to talk about it," he warily asked knowing it was appropriate to provide emotional support in this type of situation but was very relieved when instead of talking he concentrated on eating and it only took him about a minute to finish the entire bowl which he thought was strange, "You must have really liked the soup."

"Sì, it made my throat feel better. Grazie, I appreciate all the trouble you went through. Looking back on it, I guess I was kind of demanding."

"It's fine. You have the right to be demanding when you're sick… I'm just surprised."

"At what?"

"The soup I gave you is called miso soup and it's very popular in my house but it has a very different flavor than what I thought Western culture is accustomed to. The broth is called dashi which is a stock made from kombu edible kelp and then miso paste is stirred into it. That's fermented soybeans. At the end tofu, scallions and seaweed are added. Those ingredients are traditional to my cuisine but not many others and certainly not yours."

"That's true."

"So what did you really think of it? You can tell me the truth. I don't feel too awkward about telling how I don't like chicken parmesan that much. I would rather have karaage. It's coated chicken but without the tomato sauce or cheese."

"Truthfully, it wouldn't matter what you gave me. I lost my sense of taste."

"Oh I see…"

"But it sounds really delicious. I would be willing to try it when I'm better."

"Alright, I'll bring some more to you then. So… what do you need from me now?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing? If all you wanted me to do was bring you soup, I could have-"

"I mean, there's nothing specific I need from you just stay with me. I feel really lonely and somehow more useless than I already am."

"You're not useless. Everyone has their own way of doing things and yours is just a little bit… more laidback."

"Grazie Japan, you're a good friend."

"Arigatou… if your throat hurts, do you just want to be quiet or should we talk about something?"

"Oh, I wouldn't mind it too much if we were quiet but that might be too bor-"

"Iie, that's perfectly fine. I'm very accustomed to being quiet. Even though I live in my house all alone I'm always having visitors come over. It's very annoying. But I'm here today as your visitor so it's a nice change of pace… why do you look upset all of the sudden?"

"I can't stand being alone."

"Well you're not now so… cheer up?"

Despite his wary attempt at making him feel better, he still smiled with great appreciation towards his other ally for his loyalty but the peaceful atmosphere was about to be threatened by the sudden tickling in his nose which had been kept under control up until that point and now he couldn't fight off the urge to sneeze anymore. The first one was left uncovered since it came out too fast, that would have made his stomach churn in disgust if he wasn't wearing his mask, except he managed to pull out a few tissues to hold up to his face for when it turned into a drawn-out fit as the involuntary mechanism of expelling built-up mucus occurred at a rate of once every minute which contrasted with the claim of being quiet. Part of Japan knew it wasn't his fault, even going so far as feeling sorry for him and wanting to do something to ease his suffering although the most prominent emotion he experienced was awkwardness based on the facts it seemed like his sneezing wouldn't stop and every one of them was progressively louder however the most intolerable thing was the way Italy never took his focus off of him except for when he was forced to close his eyes, in an unknown cause he couldn't tolerate.

"Why do you keep staring at me like that?"

"You know why."

"Iie, I don't. That's the reason I asked. Is there something-"

"I always believed you were really polite."

"You don't think I'm not? I was polite enough to come all the way here to watch over you."

"Well, your manners need a lot of work if you don't say anything to someone after they sneezed."

"What?"

"It's true. I don't know whatever the response is in your language but you could at least say bless you if you were truly polite."

"Ēto… in my house the most polite thing someone can do in that situation is ignore it and not say anything in order not to put the focus on them and make them feel awkward."

"That doesn't sound right."

"Of course, the most polite thing would be for the one who did it to excuse themselves or apologize."

"You got to be kidding me! You want me to say I'm sorry just for sneezing! It's not my fault I'm going through this and it would be great if you were a li- eh… a little- eh… etciú! Oh great, well now that I know how you feel I can be prepared not to expect-"

"Odaiji ni."

"What was that?"

"It means take care and is a phrase rarely used but could possibly be applicable in this situation to express the sentiment of concern for someone. I suppose if it's that big of a deal to you I can go along with trivial pleasantries."

"Aww, grazie Japan."

He leaned over to give him a hug which wasn't returned or enjoyed however he still didn't back away from it completely and afterwards they continued talking about random topics until Italy couldn't help but fall asleep, which wasn't so unusual considering it was getting late, putting the other country in an awkward situation because from the moment he found out why he asked him to come he wanted to do nothing more than leave except now that he wouldn't be stopped that motivation seemed to disappear. Instead he felt obligated to watch over his sleeping ally and make sure he got better since he knew things weren't right unless the pasta loving country was his usual, cheery self although as the minutes of sitting there in silence with nothing to do passed, Japan started to feel sleepy himself. Even though he considered the inappropriateness of staying over without permission of the owner, who was suspiciously absent, the 1 thing he didn't want to do at that moment no matter what the consequences was travel the long distance back home and he decided to bring his knees up to his chest in order to rest his head against them before closing his eyes, if only for a couple of minutes. However he ended up falling asleep as well and with both countries remaining unconscious they were unaware of an unexpected occurrence that took place a few hours later: America had followed Japan all the way to Germany's house, only able to get inside because Italy forgot to make sure the door would be locked.

He didn't waste time by exploring every inch of the unfamiliar territory but instead he just wanted to find the Asian country as quickly as possible so he could find out what was so urgent to force him to cut their time together short. It seemed hopeless to figure out where he was and the thought of being caught by anyone else was enough to make him very nervous except when he came across a door cracked slightly open, it was a sign for him to check there first. The scene he witnessed after hastily barging into the room caused his excitement to instantly be drained: Italy asleep in bed with his mouth wide open as a result of his nose being very clogged, accentuated by the way he was snoring and Japan curled up on a hard, wooden chair right next to him also still asleep. Neither of them had shown any indications of waking up from his loud intrusion and once he took in the sight of the 2 axis members in that odd setup for a little while, he smiled widely as the circumstances of the situation suddenly came to him. Japan showed up to take care of Italy who was sick with a cold, which he recently learned what exactly it was, but the thing he found the most fascinating was its highly contagious properties and he formulated the hilarious idea of infecting him with it since he kept himself isolated so much from catching any sort of disease.

It was a simple task; he only had to untie the mask he was wearing, something he couldn't help laugh at and definitely taking note to make fun of it later, carefully so he couldn't disturb him then bring it over to the ailing country's mouth where his germy breath would be spread all over it but the plan abruptly became threatened to unravel. While lying in bed he stirred in his sleep but instead of waking up completely he just sneezed with the thin material still in front of his face and that coincidence couldn't have made America happier as he put the contaminated mask back on him, now 100% sure he would catch a cold because of that although he felt sympathetic from hearing the cold-stricken nation softly call out for Germany in his sleep. By the time he left and several hours had passed, Japan started to come out of his slumber although he felt reluctant to move on from his nap which he realized was abnormal for him but even as he tried opening his eyes, all he experienced was a sensation of reluctance and the strong yet suppressed urge to moan because of it. Finally after mentally debating the issue for a few minutes, coming up with the most pressing concerns of not remembering where he was or how he fell asleep in an uncomfortably hard chair he slowly mustered up the motivation to bring himself back into consciousness only to become aware of some confusing anomalies.

Enough time had passed to change into morning, Italy was sound asleep in bed despite how he recognized it wasn't his house but the most significant thing was the fact he didn't feel right: there was a general achiness all over his body, a scratchiness in his throat and after pulling off the mask he noticed it was damp due to the way his nose was dripping, an action that caused him to bring a hand up to pinch his nostrils closed as means of blocking the stream off until he gave in then decided to use a tissue. He never felt this way before and had no clue what had happened to him although the explanations behind it weren't nearly as important as the sudden tickling sensation that started out small with the accompaniment of his breath hitching, then grew to the point that inevitably ended up forcing him to clamp both his hands around his mouth when he was overcome with a sneeze, trying to stifle it as best as possible. That instantly caused an abrupt yet unpleasant realization to be swept over him and despite wanting to deny it with every ounce of his now infected body, he couldn't ignore the obvious solution which he still was incapable of understanding how his infallible method of protecting himself against the germs and there was only 1 tactic he could execute: getting out of there then returning to the solitude of his house immediately.

It did caused him to feel bad, since he started to understand why the other axis member maybe wasn't around, however under no circumstances would he ever have such a lack in pride to let anyone see him in that disgraceful state and in a final effort to ensure he wouldn't be completely surprised by his absence, Japan quickly went over to the desk to scribble a brief note to leave him before making his escape. When Italy finally woke up a couple of hours later, not even feeling much better after all that sleep once he went about the instinctive action of sitting up only to be treated with an achy and dizzy sensation, he felt crushingly disappointed to find himself alone for the 2nd time until he saw the piece of paper lying on nightstand except rather than ease the pain of being lonely it only increased his unpleasant emotions as a result of not being able to comprehend all the funny, little symbols he wrote the letter in but the abandoned country at least understood the gesture behind it. He began to think it was a sign for him to be independent for once and suffer through his sickness alone however that rationale only lasted for a few minutes, being broken when he picked up the phone, taking a moment to wonder who there was left to call that he could rely on except 1 country eventually came to mind and as he dialed the number he became anxious, enough to pass up waiting for a response then instead jump right into the conversation.


End file.
